A Maryland resident, and two Washington D.C. residents, are facing indictment as part of the DOJ’s first National USDA Benefits and Program Fraud Enforcement Surge. This nationwide series of enforcement actions targeted fraud involving the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and related Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

According to the indictment, from January 2021 through at least February 2026, the co-conspirators obtained SNAP benefits in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, EBT card numbers, and personal identification numbers (PINs) that belonged to SNAP recipients. They obtained the SNAP benefits in exchange for cash and knowingly used them to purchase goods at retail stores.  The co-conspirators used the purchased goods to prepare and sell food through  catering company of one of the alleged conspirators.  Source: US Attorney, District of Maryland